Wrapping outdoor faucets (hose bibs)

Getting mighty cold in central Texas. Last couple days was 80+ degrees.
Got down to 40 at midnight last night and by 9:00 this morning, it was 32.
Going to be 17 degrees tonight, and 15 tomorrow night. In fact, we may not
get above freezing until Saturday sometime. It was a short summer.
Anyway, I went out and dutifully wrapped all our outdoor faucets; first with
a bath towel, then with two inch thick foam rubber, and taped it all tight
around the faucets.
But, I wonder why this keeps them from freezing. Obviously, there is no
heat generated by wrapping them, and there is very little residual warmth in
the faucet / pipe stub. A little residual warmth from the brick siding, but
that is all. It seems to me that the bitter cold would soak through the
towel and foam rubber in a few hours. Then, what good does it do to wrap
them?
I know it seems to help by wrapping the faucets, but I'm not sure why. Any
ideas?
Bob-tx

Every other week I hear somebody tryin to wet me
But I be out of town, gettin water where the hose lay
I'm gangzta with the hose bib
So don't be messin with my nozzle
...Oh sorry, you didn't mean that type of rapping, did you?

It slows the transfer of heat. Metal is a great conductor of heat, which means
that the cold outside will follow the valve/pipe into the wall. By wrapping the
facuet, you put a thermal break in place which in tun keeps the pipe and valve
warmer. In most cases, it only takes a few degrees to keep things above freezing
at the valve.

==
And also since the OP lives in Texas...just cracking the valve open
enough to let the water slowly dribble out over night for the few
times that temps go below the freezing mark would work. This may not
be practical depending on location of the valves vis a vis the walks,
shrubs, foot traffic, etc..
==

As somebody already pointed out, heat flows from high to low. Wrapping
your faucet insulates it so that the heat isn't so readily lost to the
outside. It's enough to keep it from freezing in most cases.
Jay

Not that it matters much, but most of todays hosebibs are "frost
free". which means there isn't any water in the bib itself. The valve
is inside the house. If you have this type, it doesnt matter if you
wrap them or not.
Hank

I don't know about "most", mine aren't, but frost-free are certainly
available. The line to one goes through the attic of the garage, too. I do
the best I can; shut off those lines at the manifold and leave the valves
open.

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